My introduction to astrology changed my life, so I guess you could say I'm
a bit of a born-again astrologer. When I first had my chart interpreted, I
suddenly felt my awareness expand and my understanding of myself deepen. It
was a wonderful feeling. I'd struggled for many years with a number of inner
conflicts that I was unable to resolve, and in a flash, astrology explained to
me why I am like I am. It did not tell me anything I didn't already know about
myself deep down, but it simply put a name on what I already knew. It also
helped me to move from an agnostic world view to a more spiritual perspective,
to a belief that there is a purpose to life, or (as the Bible says), a
purpose to everything under the Heavens.

Learning astrology is like learning a new language. There are strange
symbols and strange words like Capricorn, Jupiter, 10th house, trine,
sesquiquadrate, and so on. To learn astrology, we need to learn the letters
of this new alphabet. We need to learn how to put them together into words,
phrases and sentences. And when we can look at a birth chart and see lots of
sentences joining together, then we are beginning to understand that birth
chart as a whole.

What is Astrology?

Simply put, astrology is a symbolic language. The word astrology is derived
from the Greek words astron meaning 'star' and logos
which means 'word'. Astrology therefore, literally means the "language of
the stars". Astrology is based on an ancient law known as 'AS ABOVE, SO
BELOW', otherwise known as the Law of the Macrocosm and the Microcosm. The
Macrocosm is the universe, symbolised by the sky, or the starry dome which we
can see from Earth. The Microcosm is us: man or woman, the human, the
individual here on Earth.

So, astrology says that the same laws that guide the universe also guide
humanity. We are not separate from the universe - we are a part of it. Its
energies are our energies, and we must therefore work in the same way that it
works. It is an astrological assumption that if we learn to look above for
understanding, we will come to understand more about ourselves.

The Sun, Moon and planets all follow exact patterns of movement. You
probably already know that the motions of the planets in our solar system can
be measured precisely by astronomers. So, it is an astrological belief that
the same laws which apply to the movements of the heavenly bodies also operate
in our personal lives. The basic idea is that all the individual parts of the
universe, from planets to people, cooperate with each other and work together
in harmony.

REFERENCE: For a wonderfully simplified and easy-to-understand treatment of
astrology, see High School Astrology, by Maud Reinertsen.

The Birth Chart

So what is a birth chart, or a 'horoscope' as it is sometimes called? The
birth chart is a map of the heavens at the precise moment and place of our
birth. It is important to understand that astrologers have simplified their
representation of the heavens to only include the sun, the moon and the other
planets in our solar system. This does not invalidate astrology, as some have
claimed. We can add other asteroids and stars into the picture if we want.
However, for the purposes of simplicity, it is best to stick with the planets
in our solar system. The subject is complex enough without adding too many
extra celestial bodies. The birth chart is based on the principle that
whatever is born in a moment of time possesses the qualities of that moment
of time. It can be described as our astrological portrait, a symbolic
representation of the human psyche, or a map or a blueprint of our potential.
It is like our own personal mandala, symbol of our highest potential.

Philosophical Issues

This is where we must take a look at some philosophical issues. It is
important that we examine our beliefs in relation to astrology. Your own world
view or personal philosophy will condition your perception of astrology, and
how you use it. This might be something that you will give more thought to, as
time goes on.

There are various approaches to astrology, but for now I will take a brief
look at two very opposite types of astrology. One is a very mediaeval,
fate-oriented approach. In this approach, everything is seen as predestined,
and the underlying belief is that we have no freedom to choose and direct our
own lives. Astrologers who practise this approach, and there are many, see
humans as puppets manipulated by cosmic forces outside their control. This is
the type of astrologer who is into predicting specific events, telling you
what is going to happen when, and advising you the best thing to do with your
life.

The other approach is a more modern, choice-centred one, and this is the
approach that I use. This type of astrology is sometimes called humanistic
astrology. Here, the belief is that there is a creative force within each of
us which seeks to be expressed. In this world view, we are seen as co-creators
in our own destiny. It is not free will versus destiny, but free
will and destiny. The birth chart is viewed as a tool which can
help us to better know ourselves, to identify our personality traits, both
'positive' and 'challenging', and ultimately to choose to transform our
conflicts into harmony. Using this approach, we can to some degree at least,
choose to be free from that which limits us. In this view, character is
destiny, which means that when we change our character, we change our destiny.

Humanistic astrologers believe that the purpose of the birth chart is to
use it as a tool for self knowledge so that we can learn to increasingly
identify and express our highest potential. We need to work with the problem
areas identified by the chart until they are transcended. This means that we
do not accept our problems as fate, but we use our awareness of them to
overcome them and to learn from them. The idea is that the more aware we are
of ourselves and our purpose in life, and the more we are consciously in tune
with the energies which govern our planet, the more our destiny is in our own
hands. A Humanistic astrology focusses on awakening our realization of our
gifts, our purpose and our creative potential.

Some humanistic astrologers also believe in the concept of karma and
reincarnation. The philosophy of reincarnation says that we all possess a
spiritual essence or soul which continues on after death, and incarnates in
different physical bodies in different lives. The purpose is to learn
different lessons through experience, and to gradually walk the path towards
perfection or wholeness. The philosophy of karma says that we are responsible
for our own actions. We sow what we reap, or for every action, there is an
equal and opposite reaction. You make your bed and you lie in it. All of these
sayings are describing this ancient doctrine of karma. It is, however, not at
all necessary to believe in karma or reincarnation. The same concept can be
explained through biological inheritance or genetic predisposition.

A Poem by Astrologer Tracy Marks

Here is a poem written by an American Astrologer called Tracy Marks. For
me, it sums up beautifully what a birth chart is and is not. It succintly
conveys the notion that we can choose the paths we travel.

ASCENDANT - ASC - cusp (beginning) of 1st house - The degree of the zodiac
rising on the Eastern horizon at the moment of our birth. The point of Self
Awareness. "I am".
THE NADIR - IC - cusp of 4th house - The degree of the zodiac directly below
us at the moment of birth. The most private and deepest parts of ourselves.
The Inner Self. "My Roots".
THE DESCENDANT - DESC - cusp of the 7th house - The degree of the zodiac
rising on the western horizon at the moment of birth. The point of Awareness
of Others. "I Relate to An Other".
THE MIDHEAVEN - MC - The cusp of the 10th house - The degree of the zodiac
directly above us at the moment of birth. The most public and outer part of
ourselves. "I Function in the World".

ELEMENTS - Patterns of Energy - The Four
Temperaments

Fire - The path to LOVE (Focussed on Identity) - Choleric
Earth - The path to SERVICE (Focussed on Materiality) - Melancholic
Air - The path to BROTHERHOOD (Focussed on Mental and Social Interactions) -
Sanguine
Water - The path to PEACE (Focussed on Emotional & Feeling Realm) -
Phlegmatic

THE SUN -Depicting the Yearly cycle
of the seasons - our essence, core self, conscious purpose and sense of
identity, creative potential. The Integrated Personality. The Present.THE MOON - Depicting the Monthly cycle of the Moon's Phases - the
innermost core of our being, private feelings, subconscious habits. Karma. The Past.THE ASCENDANT - Depicting the Daily cycle of the Earth's rotation on
its axis - our outer self, how others see us, our persona, the filter through
which all the planets are expressed. The Soul's Purpose. The Future.

The 12 Letter Astrological Alphabet

TABLE OF HOUSE - PLANET - SIGN COMBINATIONS

HOUSE

PLANET

SIGN

ELEMENT

QUALITY

POLARITY

KEYWORDS

1

Mars

Aries

Fire

Cardinal

Yang

Initiating - The Pioneering Self

2

Venus

Taurus

Earth

Fixed

Yin

Manifesting - Building Physical Security

3

Mercury

Gemini

Air

Mutable

Yang

Communicating - Networking with Others

4

Moon

Cancer

Water

Cardinal

Yin

Nurturing - An Inner Sense of Belonging

5

Sun

Leo

Fire

Fixed

Yang

Creating - Projecting our Power

6

Mercury

Virgo

Earth

Mutable

Yin

Analysing - Towards Self-Improvement

7

Venus

Libra

Air

Cardinal

Yang

Relating - Balance and Harmony with Others

8

Pluto

Scorpio

Water

Fixed

Yin

Letting Go - True Sharing and Self-Mastery

9

Jupiter

Sagittarius

Fire

Mutable

Yang

Expanding - The Search for Meaning

10

Saturn

Capricorn

Earth

Cardinal

Yin

Structuring - Our Contribution to Society

11

Uranus

Aquarius

Air

Fixed

Yang

Reforming - A Global Awareness

12

Neptune

Pisces

Water

Mutable

Yin

Transcending - The Search for Unity and Divinity

CREDIT for the concept of the Twelve Letter Alphabet goes to Dr Zipporah
Dobyns: 'Finding the Person in the Horoscope'. The above table
has been adapted and added to from the work of Dr Dobyns.

Planetary Aspects

* Aspects are the angular relationships between the planets.
* They describe pathways of energy.
* The meaning of a planet in the birth chart is determined by its position in
a particular sign and house, and is further modified by its relationships to
all the other planets (the aspects).
* The interpretation of a birth chart is the art of synthesising all of these
individual factors into a whole.

The Conjunction - 0 degrees. A powerful concentration or marriage
of the planetary energies. The potential for Strength through Unification and
Subjectivity.

The Sextile - 60 degrees. An aspect of opportunity and productivity
calling for the practical application of one's understanding and experience.
The potential for Realizing One's Goals through Building New Talents, Skills
and Techniques and Making New Connections.

The Square - 90 degrees. An aspect of confrontation, challenge,
internal tension, construction, strength and motivation. The potential for
Action, Productivity and Achievement through the Mobilization and Focus of
Energy.

The Quincunx - 150 degrees. An aspect of contradiction and paradox.
The need for adjustment between the real and the ideal. The potential for
Transformation, Focus, Maturity and Clarification through Adjustment.

The Opposition - 180 degrees. An aspect of conflict between
opposing energies, calling for awareness, cooperation and compromise. The
potential for Integration and Objectivity through Balance.

CREDIT: The 'Potential' Keywords have been adapted from the work of
Demetra George and Douglas Bloch in 'Astrology for Yourself', A
Workbook for Personal Transformation, p. 163.